Thought I'll get my thoughts down before the next game tomorrow This was an exciting 0-0 match We need to be more clinical in front of goal. Main culprit of this is Taylor. I noticed our chances created in the second half was few and far between. This is not surprising as we have sucked in the second half of matches all season. If we are to win it game, it has to happen in the first half unless we turn this around somehow. I hope Vlatko give Fishlock a break against Houston. Her left kee/ankle have been battered multiple times in each of the last 2/3 games and each time she goes down I have my heart in my throat. I think the players we have are good enough to handle Houston and Fishlock can use the extra days off to heal. Disappointed with the score but I guess it could be worse.
Yes, although maybe Fishlock jinxed us with these words from last week's interview on the Sounders' website? "This team will score goals. There is no question to me about what we will do or what we won’t do. We will score goals. So our main focus is we have to stop them, and if we get better at that, at not conceding, then I am more than confident that we will score goals." Repeating three times that "we will score goals" was probably a little too much! Well, except vs Portland, in my opinion, we didn't suck at all in second half! (Yes, it's true, our defense had many awaful moments, but after all we had them all game, and it's not like we didn't get the best chances to score in that half anyway: if it wasn't for Taylor, we could have comfortably won by 4-2 or 5-2, or, admittedly, 5-3).
Here is a little information on Yael: http://www.yaelaverbuch.com/blog/the-relativity-of-health This frustrating, and continues our solid record of suddenly losing our marquee signing to medical leave for the entire season: 2013 Federation Player Amy Rodriguez - pregnancy - 0 minutes 2014 top draft pick Amanda Frisbie - infection - 0 minutes 2015 top draft pick Havana Solaun - broken ankle - 0 minutes 2016 Swedish signing Antonia Göransson - diabetes - 0 minutes 2017 Federation Player Diana Matheson - ACL - 0 minutes 2018 Yael Averbush - colitis - 90 minutes (so far)
Well so much for the second half -- we were much better this week in the second half than in the first. I'm really tired of this Jodie Taylor experiment. This is EXACTLY what i was worried about when the signing was announced.
I have to admit watching Taylor is becoming increasingly frustrating. We are lucky that, when Rapinoe is available, she almost always saves the day. Also, I have to say that Rebekah Stott had a quite impressive game for Sky Blue, last night: probably she wanted to show off vs her former team?
She was quite impressive in all three SkyBlue games -- and we saw that last year too. But that clearance off the line... wow!
Another busy weekend though I did manage to watch the game. I'm gonna refrain from making any deep analysis or reading too much into this game as SBFC have been woeful. That said we need to seriously improve our finishing. Rapinoe was woeful the first half and took numerous ill-advised shots when she should have pass the ball to a player in a better position. Another good half+ for Addo though can't read much as it was sky blue. I hope to see her more in the lineup, maybe even at CF For the first time ever Jodie was subbed off which was for the best. I genuinely think her legs are tired from all the minutes she have played. Also she like everyone else on that team needs to know if you have so many sub par games you can be subbed. Not sure I agree with playing Spencer at CF. She just don't have the height for it given our playing style.
YES! I was impressed. I think she needs some minutes to get used to the pace of this league, but i was quite please with her play. We were all cheering her loudly in the bar where we watch away matches.
Yes. This. I'm a big fan of Spencer and have been since she was with the Spirit. I think she's one of the seriously underrated talents in the league -- but she is NOT a CF. Because of the height and her playing style. There were at least two plays where she really should have taken a shot, but since she has never really played CF she was still thinking like a winger and hesitated.
I mean I can see why Vlatko will try her there given all his years of success with Amy Rodriguez at FCKC. However a majority of our offense is generated throw crosses from the wings while at FCKC they played it on the ground a lot. I much rather we slide Yanez back up to CF and play Addo at #10 Speaking of which, the upcoming game against Orlando is going to be a tough one defensively with Long being away. I’m hoping we play an additional defensive player instead of trying to make a like for like sub for Rapinoe and Long. I would like to see a 3-5-2 of Betos Barnes, McNabb, Bauer, Catley, Utsugi, Addo, Fishlock, Kleiner Yanez, Taylor
The young(er) backline is somehow less than the sum of its parts. They defend well enough, but they're zero threat going forward. And they don't win footraces any more. Backline and midfield (without Fishlock) are wilting against high pressure. Seattle used to have open people throughout the central 1/3 of the field, connecting easy passes as opponents retreat. Now all of the space is gone, passing lanes are closed, and the speed of thought is insufficient to get the ball away, so the receiver promptly gets swarmed. And no 3rd person is making a run so that a receiver of pass has a second pass to make. So Seattle gets pinned in its own 1/3 until the opponent chooses to stop pressing. We used to do it to the rest of the league ... We don't chip early/quick crosses for running headers. Everybody's waiting for the magical ground pass, else they shoot long. Taylor can't get a good shot off on reflex. (To be fair, neither did Press.) Rapinoe's footwork is still good, but her sprint speed is gone, and her normal run no longer catches up to a ball-carrier. Mostly, it's the speed of play, which indirectly depends on individual speed to have already created some separation. Other teams are faster now. There might not be a short-term fix for that.
Jaycie was on Coffee With Valkyries today, you might find it interesting. She didn't talk about her injury (and timeline) as much as i might have liked, but it's a good interview. https://www.sounderatheart.com/seat...attle-reign-podcast-episode-12-jaycie-johnson
In another effort to hijack this thread with KC info...it's been out for awhile but just realized Vlatko's daughter's high school team were Missouri state champs. And she was named 2nd team all state!
I wrote in the UEFA World Cup Qualifers thread: I believe that the best thing Vlatko Andonovski of the Seattle Reign can do for Women's Football world-wide is to keep Jess Fishlock healthy for the August 31 Wales vs. England match.
I was very sad to see Maddie Bauer was waived Monday. There is no doubt that we have enormous depth at CB and DM and desperately need help on the front line with the Taylor experiment so disappointing and not much behind her. Johnson and Leon are going to help with that. I did not understand why Bauer didn't get more playing time. I feel like there are several players we who get minutes who i would put behind Bauer on the depth chart. Disappointing. And just waived, not even traded. I think she's going to make a mark somewhere and i wish her well.
@BostonRed, on Yank Women Abroad 2018 thread, found out that she was signed by a club in Sweden. So is it possible that it was her asking to be waived?
Man I haven't been around here in a while though I usually watch all our games when they are on. Congrats on the team for making the post season after been away for two years.
Yes, it's a shame that the conversation here wound down in the last part of the season, because it was quite interesting at the beginning of it. Anyway, I guess yesterday's match vs NC Courage hinted at what could be a very interesting NWSL title match in September! I hope we won't have to meet Chicago in the semi-final, though, because they grew through the whole season and to me they're the most dangerous team at the moment!
this^^^! it's WHEN you're playing well that matters. chicago is only now, as it were, beginning the season, and is very likely going to beat all comersin the playoffs.
Well Seattle lost in the semi...I am bummed but I thought this would happen...for one, our stars weren't 100% especially Long. For two, of the 4 playoff teams we were the least youthful. We can play pretty and compete for 60 min or so with these teams but when opponents try to run and gun we just couldn't keep up. NC has really changed the league in my opinion and Vlatko's beautiful game style needs to add that other layer that NC, Portland, and Chicago have...to do both. Those 3 teams can play pretty and run and gun...Seattle can't. I loved this group of girls but we need to get younger and faster in some areas to compete. By his post game comments I think Vlatko agrees. I wonder what moves he will make....
So you basically think the team needs to be re-founded? Something had already changed this season, but the core of the team is formed by players who are 30 yo or very close to that. Some of them were here since the beginning of the Harvey era. Of course, it looks like it's nearly impossible to inject a very high number of young players in a single season: some kind of transition will be needed. In this perspective, who would you keep, of the "veterans"? Which players, in your opinion, still have to belong to the "core" of the team, and which one should be replaced by some younger names (have you any signing in mind in particular, by the way?). Of course, I am also asking to other fans here on the thread: @Blaze20, @Reign Man, @Gilmoy...
I'm not talking a full over haul but I think we need and upgrade at right forward and center forward. (Think Shea Groom, Chioma Ubogagu, Rachel Hill, Imani Dorsey, Savannah McCaskill, Katie Johnson) Yeah, I actually like Sky Blue/Orlando's attacking front and think both teams will be looking to make some changes this offseason. I think any of those players could have scored 8 goals getting the amount of minutes that Jodie Taylor had. And several can play wing as well. And I actually think the Utsugi-Long-Fishlock is actually a little redundant....Talented yes...but I don't think that unit can run with the top 3 for 90min. This one is harder to answer...I think Addo brings something different to the midfield but Andrews is a little too similar as well. I trust in Vlatko to find a gem there as he won 2 championships with late 2nd round pick Jenna Richmond and 3 round pick Mandy Laddish playing full 90min. As for vets to be replaced....Naho, Dallstream for sure, I don't think we need both Westphal and Kleiner. I think we can get rid of at least one of the Averbuch, and choose between Bauer (if we still have her rights) and McNabb. And like I said, our midfield is redundant with Long, Rumi, and Fishlock. We need a spark there too. I'd be ok with Taylor leaving too...her finishing was not good enough. I think we can get younger and better by replacing roughly 5 of the players mentioned above. But I could be crazy too. Who knows...? We don't have a great draft position either #9 is our first pick.